January 27, (THEWILL) — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has signaled a major shift in its strategy to combat illicit drug production, moving from purely punitive enforcement to a community-focused empowerment model.
On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the agency launched the Alternative Development Pilot Project in Akure, Ondo State, an initiative designed to replace cannabis cultivation with sustainable food and cash crops.
Speaking at a town hall meeting attended by national stakeholders and international partners, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) explained that the project aims to end the age-long conflict between law enforcement and illicit drug farmers.
The initiative provides farmers with a legitimate path to prosperity, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security and national stability.
“This meeting is designed to build a friendly, community-centered approach,” Marwa said.
“We are here to talk with communities, not at them. Our goal is to agree on sustainable commitments that lead to a permanent exit from the world of illicit drugs.”
Marwa highlighted the dangerous link between drug trafficking and national insecurity, noting that criminal groups often use narcotics to fuel violence and fund operations.
He argued that while cannabis kingpins prosper, the cultivating communities are often left with nothing but poverty, soil degradation, and the constant fear of arrest.
The centerpiece of the new programme is the Crop Substitution Project.
Farmers are being encouraged to cultivate high-value licit crops, including Artemisia annua—a medicinal plant used in malaria treatments that has the potential to generate significantly higher income than cannabis.
Marwa assured the gathering that this was not a “sting operation” but a genuine partnership, telling the audience, “From today, we are no longer enemies; we are partners in progress.”
Ondo State Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa pledged his administration’s full support, promising to provide land, seedlings, and technical resources to ensure the pilot’s success.
He lauded the NDLEA for selecting Ondo—currently the nation’s largest producer of cannabis—as the testing ground for this transformative approach.
The project is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development.
Following the pilot phase in three pioneering communities in Ondo, the NDLEA plans to present a formal recommendation to the Federal Government for a nationwide rollout of the programme.
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